Ahaz Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 28:1–4)

In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah. 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. And unlike David his father, he did not do [what was] right in the eyes of the LORD his God. 3 Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire,[fn] according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

5 

Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not overcome [him].

6 

At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath[fn] for Aram,[fn] drove out the men of Judah and sent the Edomites into Elath, where they live to this day.

7 

So Ahaz sent messengers to vvv Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying,“I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram [and] Israel, who are rising up against me.”

8 

Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. 9 So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.

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